Steve Mears was named the play-by-play announcer for Columbus Blue Jackets hockey, now on the Blue Jackets Hockey Network, on July 2, 2024. Beginning with the 2026-27 campaign, he will be featured on both the Blue Jackets’ television and radio platforms for games, including flagship station Sports Radio 97.1 The Fan in Columbus, via simulcast.
Before joining the Blue Jackets, Mears spent 18 years broadcasting games and serving as a host on NHL Network, as well as handling play-by-play duties for the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Islanders. He has been the play-by-play voice for numerous high-profile NHL and international hockey competitions, including the Stanley Cup Final, All-Star Games, outdoor games and the IIHF World Junior Championships. In 2024, he called play-by-play action on TNT during the Stanley Cup Playoffs and hosted NHL DataCast powered by AWS, an alternative broadcast that used NHL EDGE data to provide fans with a new way to watch the Western Conference Final series between the Dallas Stars and Edmonton Oilers on truTV and Max.
The 46-year-old is a native of Western Pennsylvania and a graduate of Bowling Green State University, where he broadcast games for the Falcons hockey team. He joined Columbus after spending seven seasons with the Penguins, calling the action on both television and radio from 2017-2024. Prior to that he spent five seasons with NHL Network, serving as host of NHL Live, NHL NOW and as the play-by-play voice for NHL International. He also broadcast games for the New York Rangers and was a host on the MSG Radio Network during his time in New York City.
Mears began his career as the voice of the Central Hockey League’s Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs, where he spent four seasons and was named the CHL Broadcaster of the Year in 2005. He then joined the Islanders as the club’s radio play-by-play announcer from 2006-09 before returning to Pittsburgh as a host on the Penguins Radio Network and contributor on PensTV from 2009-12. In addition, he served as the host of MLB Tonight on MLB Network from 2015-17 and called play-by-play action for U.S. Open tennis matches from 2020-22.
Mears and his wife, Kirstin, reside in Dublin with their son, Carter.
